One cool option select I’ve started using on Gouken is after a knockdown do a demon flip throw/srk. A neutral/back jump or backdash will eat a srk. A block/parry/focus will eat the throw. An ultra will whiff. I haven’t tested this against his super, running palm, hurricane kick, or a forward jump yet so if anyone does before me let us know. The Goukens I’ve used this against haven’t tried these moves yet.
deleted. i cant read either 
alright we’re talking about it’s usefulness so lets get back to the topic what are akuma’s option selects I’ll update my first post as we get some. The gouken demonflip throw SRK is alright but what if the forward dash like they’re supposed to and grab you for a free ultra? A gouken I know does that to me when I get df throw happy on him. Anyways lets start listing them.
Akuma has an option select with p-link. After a successful roundhouse, do cr. strong ~ jab, and one of the two will come out (usually the strong, because you are getting a double input for strong), but if you miss the timing, a jab will come out.
that’s not an option select that’s a plink hope because a link is a link you’re plinking to get a larger window to get a better normal with a harder frame window. With that you’re still going for the same combo in the end (BnB). I’m talking you do the same inputs…situation (backdash,FA,block)… and a move situationally comes out based on how the inputs are read. So lets start listing akuma’s option selects.
I haven’t tested these myself so correct them as neccessary, but from the Ryu forum:
Jump-in FP/Shoryuken Option Select:
Do a safe jump against a fallen opponent so that if they reversal you are on the ground before their reversal move hits active frames.
Input :df: :d: :df: :d: :db: + :hp: and hold :db: upon landing.
If opponent blocks: -> Nothing comes out other than jHP.
If opponent reversals: -> You block it
If opponent backdashes: -> Shoryuken comes out and hits them.
Jump-in HK/Demon Option Select:
Do a safe jump against a fallen opponent so that if they reversal you are on the ground before their reversal move hits active frames.
(I don’t know what the exact input for this is)
Input: needed
(Guessing: :hk:+:lp: :lp: :db:+:lk:+:hp: and hold :db:)
If opponent blocks: -> Nothing comes out other than jHK.
If opponent reversals: -> You block it
If opponent backdashes: -> Demon comes out and hits them.
A plink is an option-select. Option-select works on situation and priority. This can be demonstrated by pressing the buttons simultaneously (rather than after each other) during a plink.
c.sk xx c.sk xx c.mk + c.sk produces c.sk xx c.sk xx c.sk because the sk chain is option-selected as it’s then player is in the position to do the chain, and the chain has higher priority than c.mk.
c.sk xx c.sk, c.mk + c.sk produces c.sk xx c.sk, c.mk because a chain is not possible after c.sk recovery, so c.mk is option-selected as it has higher priority than c.sk.
The same concept applies to crouch tech-throws.
That’s based on your own timing though, and not really option-selecting based on what the opponent does, which is what I think we’re trying to list here.
It’s still good info to have though.
let’s try to get our short-hand consistent, please. i understand your short-hand, but others may not. to me, it makes no sense for you to say c.sk when you say c.mk next. it should either be c.lk or c.fk.
not trying to be a nazi, but a lot of other people are already confused enough in this thread as it is.
Now I’m pressuming these option selects apply for Focus attacks the same they do for backdashes, because the focus absorb is like a whiffed attack, right?
Using this on your jump-ins, you get an option select against their reversals (on a block string), and if they look for AA with a focus charge, they should get hit with the Ultra.
That’ll be good to try on those online fags.
on knockdown
crossup HK tatsu buffer lpx2 hold down + away from opponent
this beats reversal SRKs. if it hits u sweep. block you are ok. they teleport or back dash push up,b+lk+hp
hot lava
Do they actually have time to start up and release a focus attack on a safe jump? The startup frame data for focus attack on the wiki confuses me…
Hmmm…
I wonder if you input that like this: (remember you are crossing up)
(at peak of jump) :d: :db: :l: :hk: :lp: :lp: :df:+:lk:+:hp: (may be a slight pause between :hk: and :lp: – the idea would be to time it so that the buffered demon comes out only if the Tatsu wiffs)
that this would work as a true option select in the sense that you do the same input and different things come out based on your opponent’s reaction. It would use the same principal as the jump-in HK/Demon option select in that if the HK (or Tatsu in this case) is blocked or hits, you stay in the air long enough that the demon never comes out, but if the HK (or Tatsu) wiffs you land soon enough that the demon you input while you were in the air comes out. The main difference would be that if they try to reversal, instead of blocking it your HK tatsu would beat the reversal.
In theory:
Tatsu connects or is blocked -> Nothing comes out.
Opponent reversal -> Tatsu connects.
Opponent backdash -> Ultra comes out and hits them.
If that actually works it would make the already powerful jumpin tatsu crossup pretty awesome in certain matchups.
EDIT: THIS WORKS!!! I am watching my recording of it (first try so it must not be that hard) work beautifully against Sagat.
If you time your demon input perfectly (right after you tatsu) the demon will come out if the tatsu wiffs and it won’t come out if the tatsu is blocked or connects.
If you time and space the cross-up tatsu exactly right these seem to be the results for what Sagat can do:
Sagat Blocks: Tatsu is blocked. Nothing else comes out.
Sagat Ultra: Wiffs -> You land behind and Ultra.
LP TigerUppercut: Wiffs -> Eats Ultra
FP TU: Wiffs -> Eats Ultra
Forward Dash*: Eats Ultra
Back Dash*: Tatsu connects and knocks him down with the ability to juggle hit with sweep and repeat this.
*Forward Dash is what the game reads the reversal input as, even though you just crossed up. In actuality Sagat ends up dashing towards you with his back turned, so the game is outputting a backdash with invincable frames to dodge the tatsu, but the option selected Ultra hits them.
*Back Dash is actually a forward dash because they are getting crossed up - no invulnerabilty frames gets hit by the tatsu.
Also - to add to the mixup against Sagat, you can do a “fake” cross-up tatsu by using the same (or very similar) timing and do LK tatsu instead of HK tatsu to land in front of Sagat and inputting the option select Super. The tatsu should wiff and you will be at point blank range, so if he’s wise to your game and is blocking the cross-up thinking that is all he can do, he will eat Super. The input for this is identical to the input for the cross-up Demon option select, except you push LK for the tatsu instead of HK. Since you don’t cross up, the input for the Super demon is the same as it was for the Ultra demon on the other side.
It seems that if the timing is such that the FP Tiger Uppercut gets hit in the back of the head with the HK Tatsu, the LP TU can pick Akuma out of the air. I’m sure there are some nuances with the timing of the crossup, but this is pretty good.
I’m also not that good with Sagat, I’ve never really played him that much so I’m sure there’s a way to punish this without just having to stand there and try to block, but I couldn’t figure it out in training mode once I had my Akuma dummy playing back the perfect timing and spacing on the cross-up tatsu.
I bet this is even better against Balrog… I wonder if it would catch Bison/Dhalsim/Seth’s teleport on wake also.
If anyone else is testing some of this stuff feel free to correct anything that you find incorrect. I didn’t have a ton of time to mess around with it tonight.
yeah all credit goes to FubarDuck as the person who told me about the ultra setup also told me that it was Fubar’s.
Wakeup Focus attacks aren’t good enough for anyone to use. Take your mind off safe jumps, I was talking about general jump-ins where opponents like to Focus the jump kick to AA into a combo. That’s more common for players to do than to backdash on wakeup.
An option select for if your opponent uses a focus (or backdash, whiff or whatever) on your jump-in, it goes straight into the ultra.
Ah, gotcha. I was still in safe jump thinking mode I guess.
Yeah I think it would work exactly the same way, but I don’t even know for sure that the other ones work because I haven’t tested it at all. Just got home from work so I’m going to play with it a bit in training mode.
so what is the best defensive option against the crossup/throw/block triple option?
push db,d,db+PPP if he goes for crossup u tele away
if he goes for throw u tele away
if he goes for block u tele away
imo this is akumas best option select.
This tatsu option select is pretty badass. ‘Psychic’ Demon every time they backdash if it’s done correctly, otherwise they either get kicked in the back of the head or block the cross-up.
I’m still messing around with it, had to do some stuff with the woman, but it seems to be a bit forgiving in that even if you screw up the tight timing/spacing of the tatsu cross-up ever so slightly, the option select still works. If you are just late enough that the TU makes your cross-up wiff instead of stuffing it, the demon catches Sagat on his way down from TU.
LOL. like seriously, i lol’d realllllly hard at this.